Table For Two Traditional Dining

[weberman]

Just spoke to a couple who are friend and have sailed their last two cruises (last over Christmas). They wanted a Table For Two at the early traditional main dining. They were told by HAL via travel agent who argued with HAL :mad:about the matter that they could NOT reserve a "Table for Two" for Traditional Main Dining. CSR said it was not allowed by HAL policy. Do they even have "Table for Two" in Traditional main dining.

Just looking for information for them. :rolleyes:

They are moving to Princess next cruise who I am pretty sure has tables for two. ;)

Happy New Year:D

[TraelorMex]

Our last two cruises on HAL we had 'open' dining (no assigned seats/time). During our 14 day cruise we were givin seating for two upon our request. Only twice were we seated with others. My experience is HAL will do their best to accomodate their customers.

[erewhon]

weberman,

After our first cruise, we now request a table for two, early dining upper level of the dining room, at the time of booking. Our requests have been granted.

[RuthC]

Do they even have "Table for Two" in Traditional main dining.
I know for a fact there are tables for two in fixed seating on the Prinsendam, the four S-class ships, and the four R-class ships, as I can picture them in my mind.

I think I can picture some on the Vista class ships. If there are some on the Vistas, then there must be some on the Signature ships, as they are essentially the same.

What ship did your friends sail on?

[jena1]

DH and I alway get a table fo 2, early dining. We even get it in the confirmation from TA. As a matter of fact if one goes into the HAL internet site, when you make a reservation it asks what dining arrangemnt and if it is fixed dining what size table. Try a dummy reservation and you will see.

[sail7seas]

There definitely are tables for two on upper level of dining room on Vista and Signature Class. We have been seated at those tables on Zuiderdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Eurodam.

Are you absolutely sure the TA is reporting accurately to your friends? :confused:

[Himself]

I seem to recall tables for two on the upper level though I think they are more scarce because the upper level is smaller than the lower level. I usually eat on the lower level and I can assure you there are tables for two on the lower level. By the way, have a Happy New Year.

[Jade13]

Just spoke to a couple who are friend and have sailed their last two cruises (last over Christmas). They wanted a Table For Two at the early traditional main dining. They were told by HAL via travel agent who argued with HAL :mad:about the matter that they could NOT reserve a "Table for Two" for Traditional Main Dining. CSR said it was not allowed by HAL policy. Do they even have "Table for Two" in Traditional main dining.

Just looking for information for them. :rolleyes:

They are moving to Princess next cruise who I am pretty sure has tables for two. ;)

Happy New Year:D

We have had a 2 top on every HAL cruise. We always request the late dining as the early is too early with the port intensive cruises. We have had a table for two on Veendam, Westerdam, Noordam, Eurodam, and Maasdam.

[Krazy Kruizers]

At the time we book a cruise our TA always requests a table for 2 for us for the early fixed dining time -- 5:45. And our request has always been granted.

This is on ALL HAL ships. There are quite a few tables for 2.

[tooalto]

As with most cruiselines with fixed seatings, you can get your time confirmed when you book, if available, but table sizes are always on a request basis. Unless we're traveling with friends we request a table for two and have always gotten one. We book early so our preferred seating time is confirmed.

[lastlook]

When we booked our cruise on the Ryndam last year, we requested fixed late dining, table for 2 and it was confirmed prior to sailing. We were fortunate to be assigned a lovely table for 2 by a window, upper level.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[ROZO'SBEAU]

Of course there are tables for two. Just look at any HAL cruise brochure that has deck plan diagrams. Tables for two are on both upper and lower levels. Do deck plan layouts change? Of course they do; but in this case tables for two are always there, somewhere.
DW and I have been on 11 HAL cruises/voyages and always have requested and received tables for two, late (main) seating....and that includes two this past year.
Someone needs to get themselves a new TA if they were told it wasn't allowed. It could be that HAL told the TA a table couldn't be confirmed in advance. Maybe? Huh?

[Crazy Gramps]

Beloved and I have been granted fixed seating {late version) and have confirmed a table for 2.

I love it when the HAL people make things up because they're too lazy to do their jobs.

Gramps

[jotabecu]

I alwas ask for table for two in the MDR and it is always granted.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Lots pf tables for two in main dining on all HAL ships we have been on. I was amazed at how many there were on the Nieuw Amsterdam - the new Signature Ship - in main early dining upper. I suspect as others have, that there were not any available when the couple booked their cruise and they might have asked to be waitlisted.

Barbara

[SwissMyst]

We were assigned initially a table for two on our last Statendam cruise that was a table for four, but was going to be set up only for two since there were a number of empty tables in the late fixed dining on that cruise. (Don't know about the early fixed dining - may have been more crowded)

The offered table for four, set up for two, was next to the window but we decided to get a table for two on the upper railing that looks down over the lower dining area, which was also available since it would be dark at dinner time so the window was not going to be of much value for viewing -- which is an entirely different matter when cruising "midnight sun" parts of the globe.

We always like a table for two and have always gotten one and the first thing we do is go to the dining room to see where it is located, and then go to the Explorations Lounge right upon boarding to see if we can make any changes if we want a different location and that too has always worked out for us.

This is something we always request when making our original reservation and the only consideration later is where that table for two is located, and so far we have always been able to get something we wanted. (5 HAL cruises)

[weberman]

Beloved and I have been granted fixed seating {late version) and have confirmed a table for 2.

I love it when the HAL people make things up because they're too lazy to do their jobs.

Gramps

I first took your post as as critical of my friends, but hope on reflection that you were referring to the HAL personnel giving bad information. If you knew the man in question, he does not take No for an answer easily.

Thank you for the information which is what I was looking for. I will pass the advice along to him.

That's what great about CruiseCritic. A wealth of information. :)

[Modern_Viking]

... my friends, ... If you knew the man in question, he does not take No for an answer easily.

Thank you for the information which is what I was looking for. I will pass the advice along to him.

That's what great about CruiseCritic. A wealth of information. :)

I think there is a communications error going on here. I first sailed with HAL in 2004, and since they, they have been happy to
(1) confirm traditional dining at a specific seating time
(2) note a request for a specific table size.

In my experience with HAL, they have never confirmed a table size before. Granted, I have seen extra cost packages advertised and at least one of them was a "honeymoon package" that included a confirmed table for two. So, I guess it can be possible, if you pay for the correct extra package, assuming those packages are still available and you are eligible for them.

It sounds like your friend was insisting on a confirmed table for two, and was being correctly turned down by HAL staff.

That being said, many people accept a requested (not-confirmed) table for two and wind up being satisfied when they receive just what they requested. Thus, while I doubt the success rate is 100%, it is high enough where I would not be much worried about making such a request.

Of course, getting confirmed for fixed dining (compared with open seating) is a different deal. The slots for fixed dining often fill up fast, especially for the early seating, and while there are wait-lists for this option, people are often turned down.

The HAL telephone customer service reps are sadly known for often giving incorrect information. But in this case, what was said rings true to me. Granted, I have no idea how much time the HAL rep and the travel agent spent (if any) explaining the difference between confirmed and requested.

[Jemima]

Table size is request only. Some people responding book suites and that makes a difference in dining requests.

[sail7seas]

Suite guests are confirmed for their dining time of choice but usually are not confirmed for specific table. It is very rare for Suite guest to not get the table they request but it certainly does happen. There could be a large group or other requests which make it impossible but a close substitution would be offered.

[Crazy Gramps]

I first took your post as as critical of my friends, but hope on reflection that you were referring to the HAL personnel giving bad information. If you knew the man in question, he does not take No for an answer easily.

Thank you for the information which is what I was looking for. I will pass the advice along to him.

That's what great about CruiseCritic. A wealth of information. :)

I was not in any way referring to you or your friends.
My statement was directly referring to HAL employees.

Happy New Year all

Gramps

[Krazy Kruizers]

On a couple of occasions we have not gotten the table we requested. Not a big deal -- as long as it was a table for 2.

[sail7seas]

Only one time in all our cruises did we not get the specific table we requested. It was rather funny watching everyone blame everyone else. No one would simply 'own it' and say "my mistake". There was no reason for them to not have assigned us 'our table' but someone messed up.

I cared more that everyone was busy pointing fingers than the fact we were seated elsewhere.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did watch one night on the Nieuw Amsterdam when a woman got irate over not getting a certain table. We had gone to the Tamarind one evening and the Pinnacle (Le Cirque) the next evening -- we had informed our wait staff beforehand that we would not be in the dining room those 2 nights. A couple from Open Seating had been given our table for those 2 nights. For some unknown reason they assumed that they would have that table for the rest of the cruise. So she got irate when they were given another table -- not to far away from ours. She even called over the area captain and he explained to her that we had been assigned that table as we were fixed seating people. She carried on so much and so long that the area captain moved them to another table. People were looking at her and her husband never said a word -- it appeared that he could have cared less where they sat. When we were leaving the dining room we noticed that they were seated way back in the corner and she was facing the wall. The first table they were given was on the platform right above us -- view for both of them.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Only one time in all our cruises did we not get the specific table we requested. It was rather funny watching everyone blame everyone else. No one would simply 'own it' and say "my mistake". There was no reason for them to not have assigned us 'our table' but someone messed up.

I cared more that everyone was busy pointing fingers than the fact we were seated elsewhere.



Why would you question the staff if you didn't get the table you requested? There are lots of great tables for 2. There is no guarantee that you will get the table you request.

[dakwriter]

When we've booked early enough on Holland America ships in the past my DH & I have always been able to get a table for two assigned right off the bat. When boarding the ship we've verified the table at the dining room and never encountered a problem. So I hope that policy of fulfilling such requests has not changed.

That said, on our December Westerdam cruise my DH and I booked so late we couldn't get assigned dining, but even so we were told that the main dining room reserves 50% of the tables for two for anytime dining passengers. We never had a problem getting one. Sometimes the location isn't what one might consider ideal. Sometimes a table for two is only a few inches away from a larger table and therefore your conversations won't exactly be private. And one night the only table for two that was available was tucked away in a corner behind a partial wall, all by itself, with no view of either the dining room or the sea. The dining room entrance staff were sure we wouldn't like it, but we ended up LOVING it! That night it felt as if we had our own private dining room and our wait staff was so attentive and friendly we wished we could have gotten that table again. Such was not our luck, but, generally, we enjoyed most of the tables, large and small, on this cruise. We requested tables for two for those times when we wanted some "alone space." Regardless, the tables for two on the Westerdam were far better than those we experienced a month earlier on the Emerald Princess. On the EP all the tables for two were lined up next to each other, making it seem like one long table. Given that circumstance (assigned dining,) we never felt we could have a private conversation and always felt obligated to converse with our elbow-to-elbow neighbors, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a table for two. :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Why would you question the staff if you didn't get the table you requested? There are lots of great tables for 2. There is no guarantee that you will get the table you request.


I,(WE), did not question the staff. Did I say that? :confused:

The Hotel Manager is a friend of ours and knows where we sit. He commented to DH that he would stop by our table that night in the dining room and DH had to tell him we were not seated where he would have expected to find us.

[MightyQuinn]

We always request main (8:00 pm) traditional dining and a specific 2-top on HAL ships. We always have our preferred dining time confirmed in advance and our request for a specific table is noted. With only a single exception, we have been assigned our requested 2-top. And on that occasion, we worked with the DR Manager and were able to get our preference. No problem.

[m steve]

late dining and almost always get it even if is a table for 4 set as a 2. I always check when I get on board to be sure. Just go to the dining room and look at the map or if in a suite, ask the Neptune concierge to check it for you.